If I start to reminisce about that first Okapi study to the east and north of where the Lomami flows into the Congo River, I remember the film.
Soon after the birth of our youngest daughter, Eleanor, Alan Root a maker of African nature films came to see what we were doing. With incredible patience, both for animals and researchers, and with incredible ingenuity both he and his young camera man Bruce Davidson set out to follow and record the okapi study and a study of rain forest antelope (duikers) we were just getting underway.
Some of the singers and some of the dear friends and colleagues of this film are no longer with us, but I think of “Hearts of Brightness” as a tribute to them all and to the way of life they still maintain.
16 Comments
wonderfull wonderfull film.
ps: best wishes to your daughter.
(my daughter is also 18 years old since
may and i want to show her this film to
get a glimps of this life)
I do hope that your daughter enjoys it. Eleanor has started a first year of university in the USA and seems to be thriving.
This is incredible – thanks for posting it, so much inspiration, do you think Mr. Root would ever consider putting his footage to music? or is that blasphemy? either way, thanks again – a treasure.
Terese here: One of the most incredibly precious personal memories is Mbuti music. It is central to their culture — and it IS magic. It is communal, hocket,almost entirely vocal… and it just surrounds, encompasses…
Awww…this was incredible and wonderful. I am full of love seeing how your family integrated with that wonderful environment and people.
My best wishes and Thanks for sharing
I’m french and I have discovered your film today. It’s very wonderful and extraordinary. I have not enough word to say what I think of it. A real history of the life in the forest as I like it. Thank you. My best wishes
Je viens de voir votre commentaire aujourd’hui. Je vous remercie et j’espère que vous allez suivre aussi l’aventure d’aujourd’hui que j’espère aboutira dans une aire protégée!
I am a wildlife artist and have been asked to draw a picture of okapi, to find out more about this fantastic creature I watched your film which for me was incredible. Good luck with all the conservation work. Maybe I could help someway through my art venues.
I enjoyed your film. For a number of yrs I raised basenjis and so knew something of the Itari. Let me say that I saw my first Okapi at the San Diego zoo in the late ’60s, but not one since. I just returned from an internship which included me talking about Okapi. However, I had very little info on them and now am doing research for a biology paper. I wish to know if they walk and trot like camels and gallop like horses or giraffe? I got a bit of film of them walking, but not galloping so can’t compare it.
what a great life you have given you daughters, how blessed they are to have both worlds to live in, the film was beautiful, and i would like to know if you will be making a film about the life of the bonobo’s? they are a very interesting, and loving group of animals from the little i know about them, in light always, pamela
Thank YOu FOR TELLING THE WORLD ABOUT THE REAL WORLD.
I agree, this is the real world, but it could be extinguished if the Okapi Reserve is not respected. See this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38076131/ns/world_news-africa/
Alas.
I’m 13 and the okapi is my favorite animal. My dream is to do conservation work in the ituri forest, and this video just made my passion for this rainforest burn stronger. Thank you so much. 🙂
Hi Terese –
Just thought you’d be amused to know that we showed this film to our field team a while ago while camped out at Epulu HQ. Last week they requested to see it again! Everyone loves the chameleon bit…
Would love to get a higher res version to play on the full screen… do you know where we can do that?
-Bryna
I have loved watching par tof the Heart of Lightness. Especially after reading the Heart of Darkness in college and learning more about the sadness and destruction that ethnocentrism often brings. Even if it is not thought to be a problem, most people are sadly ethnocentric.
I lived on a Native American reservation for awhile as a child and it really opened up my eyes to the realities of this world. And the beauties of humanities differences.
Your family understands this well, I see from the video. I have lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and been to South Africa twice, and would love to learn more about the Congo. Hope to hear from you! Thanks for your time!
Great video! I have been looking for this for some time now…
Hope you and your family have had a wonderful Christmas this year. Your daughters have grown quite a bit since this was done!
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